Author Archives: Joy

Happy New Year!!!

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“I said to the man who stood at the gate of the new year, ‘Give to me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied, ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand in the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.” Minnie Louise Haskins

This is one of my favorite quotes. It is the beginning of a poem that was written by Minnie Louise Haskins. It was read by King George VI during his Christmas address in 1939. World War II had recently begun. I can imagine what the people that King George spoke to had on their minds at that time.

I think that at this particular time in the history of our world people have many things on their minds, too.

Life on this planet has always been a challenge, to some more that others. Really, it’s a challenge to everyone, just in different ways.

Our Heavenly Father has given us this amazing opportunity to come to earth, to learn and grow. We learn from all of our experiences. We learn each and every time we make a choice. Sometimes we learn how to manage or be successful in spite of another person’s choice that has had an affect on us.

No one knows what lies ahead. I know that if we trust in God, do what He asks, live a good life, and listen to what He is trying to tell us, we can make our way through life and be triumphant!

I think what Ms. Haskins is trying to teach us with her words is this: There are a lot of smart people in the world. There are a lot of books that give advice and tell us what we need to do to be successful in life, but the best thing we can do is trust God. Let Him lead us as we go. He knows everything and loves us with a pure love. Would He ever lead us the wrong way? No.

He is the way.

May we all, put our “hand in the hand of God” as we begin a new year!

Make it a great one!! Love, Joy

Out on a WIM #33

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beautiful emmy!

#33

Hello my most dear family.

Ok so to start off I will tell you what my transfer call is……………………….………………………. (drum roll please) I AM……………………….…………………………………………………. STAYING in this area!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I honestly can barely believe it. This’ll be my 6th transfer here and also my 9 month mark. Crazysauce. I am excited! Yet I know it’s just going to be that much harder when I have to leave……
Anyway! So. It was great to talk to you all on Skype! You are all looking mighty fine if I do say so myself. It was great to see you all and hear your voices. It went by WAY to fast. But I am back in groove after feeling sad for a minute! I am actually feeling pretty rambunctious that I was able to make Janet cry… JUST KIDDING. But it really made me sad. You were all killing me. Also when I got done I looked over and Sister H. was crying too!! Man alive.
Sounds like you have had a great week since I have talked to you though 🙂
Ok so when I am transferred…. which who knows when that’ll be! We usually get the calls on friday and saturday. Then we leave for the new island on the following Wednesday! But who even knows when I’ll leave this beautiful island. All I know is when I do I am going to cry like a baby.
There has been lots that’s happened since we spoke! Many miracles even…. This wonderful friend of a member came to church yesterday and he hadn’t been taught much but there was a lesson on the temple. And here I am thinking oh shoot this is not a goood lesson to have when he is here and fresh. Then he started telling me that he wanted to be able to be baptized so he could make it to the temple and he was talking about how that could be his motivation… IT WAS EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!! He said that he was tired of going to church with no progression just clapping his hands, singing and being preached to then leaving… Awww it was a tender mercy. He is actually living in the elders area so we won’t be teaching him but that’s alright 🙂
We also had a 1st lesson with this young man named K. and he completely soaked in what we were teaching. The lesson was all over the place but led by the spirit and he agreed to baptized!!!! He is legit. He said well will you both be here long enough to here for my baptism…??? It was so great! So we’ll see where that goes. 🙂
Anyway lots going on here. I am ready to own this transfer and to work even harder than ever.
This week has been swell. I have learned a lot. Two of my good friends that are elders were giving me advice before they leave and were just telling me not to be so hard on myself and to just trust the lord and trust in myself and don’t second guess myself. I am so blessed to be serving in this Zone they are my fam for now. LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!
I love you all, the church is true. Christ lives and loves us. Have a great week. I know I will!
Muchly love, Sister Emily 🙂

Bonus Baby, Christmas Bonus!

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photoSister Emily is my Bonus Baby. She has been gone on her mission for 7 months. I haven’t spoken to her for 7 months. We email every week, and you can read her email on Mondays if you’d like. The posts are called “Out on a WIM”. I write a letter to her once a week, but I don’t call her or visit her. She is focusing on serving the Lord. She is spending all of her days and weeks and months sharing her love and testimony of God. We only talk to her two times a year, Christmas and Mother’s Day. I won’t talk to Emily again till May. She’ll be home around the beginning of December of 2014.

Why am I able to let my baby leave home for 18 months and not talk to her everyday? Because I love the Lord. Because I know that there is not one other thing that Emily could be doing with her time right now that would be more beneficial to her, to our family, and to those whom she will meet and serve than what she is doing now.

After a wonderful Christmas morning, after presents and a yummy breakfast, after relaxing and movie watching, we had the highlight of the day! We were able to Skype with our Em. We had a blast talking to her. We laughed and cried, and it was the best Christmas Bonus we could have asked for!

 

Out on a WIM #32

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#32

Alright fam.

To start off… am exceedingly sorry I did not get to write you yesterday. They had switched our p-day to Tuesday and did not tell us until after we emailed on monday!

Uh… Christmas here…. How do I put this nicely??….Haha just kidding. It is nice here. It is too extremes either people just think christmas is no big deal or they go all out and crazy. We have not hardly gotten to have lessons with many people around this time of year. So according to our numbers this time of year is stinky.. BUT it has been fun. I am glad it doesn’t feel much like christmas really! Everyone is just so so so busy it’s crazy. And yeah I am sweating my guts out as we speak but it’s been my first warm Christmas and my first Christmas away from home. It has not been bad at all 🙂
I was planning on Skyping you around 5 o’clock tomorrow…. Which would be roughly 3 o’clock there… Will that work?? AWWWWWW….I wish I would have known what time tasha bear would be there before… We are helping one of the RC’s in the branch SIster W. cook lunch from nine until twelve tomorrow. She has no family or anyone to be with for Christmas so we can’t bail on her. Darn it.
And to answer your question: Yes we drive on the left hand side of the road. And the roads here are prolly half the size of the roads at home.. I am a skilled driver now! It’ll be weird driving when I get home.
I am so excited to talk to you all tomorrow! I will try not to cry! I am making a skype account right now…. I set one up. Just in case you need to know…. Also I have no clue how skype works so hopefully it all goes well.
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm…….. it sounds like all of you are doing great! This will probably be all for today. Since I will talk to you tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) :):) Yayyyyy!!!!
You are all so wonderful and I hope you have a good 30 or so hours until I talk to you.
MERRY CHIRSTMAS!! Iove you!!!
I love Christmas as a missionary 🙂
Lots of love, Sister Em dog Billionare!

That Couldn’t Possibly Be Comfortable!

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 I went into my bedroom and this is what I saw. Tayzie laying on a pillow and the floor. I am amazed at the positions they can sleep in. What a cute pup!

Earlier today the daycare kids where on all fours in the living room. They were barking and playing with Tayzie. It got pretty noisy, but they were having a blast and so was Tayzie. She would run fast around them, then jump up on the couch, then back down again. The kids were all laughing. It was such a fun sight to see. Tayzie loves the daycare kids!

I’m so glad we have our sweet Tayzie!

Out on a WIM #31

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Emily and Sister H. got caught in the rain @ the Monkey Sanctuary! Funny!
 #31
Hello my cute fam! How are you all??
So. Erin got her mission call???Ahhh!!!!!!!!! Tell her I love her and am so proud of her. That is so exciting!! Missions are the best 🙂
YES I got my package. 🙂 It was the best day ever. Thank you so much it was so wonderful! No don’t worry about sending more. You are fine. I loved it so much. I am waiting to give Brother K. his shirts for this Saturday so he can wear them on Sunday for Chirstmas 🙂
Ok so business: Transfers are not until after Christmas… So I will still be here until then. Transfers are at the start of January. I will start the Skype and find you 🙂 It will be some time on Decemeber 25th……. Hahaha just kidding probably in the evening time or afternoon?? I am not sure… When would work best for you. We are the ones who choose a time but we will have to coordinate with the elders too but I will let you know all the details by next email for sure! I am super excited to see and hear you all. It’ll be pretty rough maybe though…
Anyway I am glad you have been getting my letters I send!
Ok so the keyboard I am typing on is being exceedingly difficult…. So I won’t get to write a whole ton today… I am so sorry.
But this week, SIster W. went to Trinidad for a meeting for a few days so we had SIster H. with us. She is so cute. She brings out the goofy in me.. It was a lot of fun.
We are still trying to help M…she is very sick from cancer. IT IS SO HARD. 🙁 everything in the world is trying to stop us from helping her to move forward. But nevertheless we shall push forward with faith.
We have 3 people with a baptismal date and a couple more praying about one. It is wonderful I hope we will be able to help them all 🙂 The Lord is blessing us a lot.
We went to the beach this morn and played football (soccer) and volleyball. It was so great.
I am so sorry that my grammar and everything is all off. This keyboardkeeps on sticking and is making this hard.
Ummm…. I am so excitedto see you all soon 🙂
Thank you for the package and your love! I am so blessed with the gospel and to be a missionary at this time in the West Indies. I am really grateful for all of my many blessings. I love the Lord, I love His work. And also I love all of you.
Have a great week and be good!
Keep on keepin’ on 🙂
LOVE with all my heart, Sister Emily.

Sunday Best!

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The essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature made possible through the Savior’s Atonement. True conversion brings a change in one’s beliefs, heart, and life to accept and conform to the will of God (see Acts 3:19; 3 Nephi 9:20) and includes a conscious commitment to become a disciple of Christ.

Conversion is an enlarging, a deepening, and a broadening of the undergirding base of testimony. It is the result of revelation from God, accompanied by individual repentance, obedience, and diligence. Any honest seeker of truth can become converted by experiencing the mighty change of heart and being spiritually born of God (see Alma 5:12–14). As we honor the ordinances and covenants of salvation and exaltation (see D&C 20:25), “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ” (2 Nephi 31:20), and endure in faith to the end (see D&C 14:7), we become new creatures in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). Conversion is an offering of self, of love, and of loyalty we give to God in gratitude for the gift of testimony. -David A. Bednar

Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy

Out on a WIM #30

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HELLO EVERYONE!!!

This week was indeed a great week! IT FLEW BY. AH!!!!! They always do. It is blowing my mind how fast time goes by. Yet I learn and grow so much in the time that’s flying by. It doesn’t even make any sense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway let me stop being dramatic. Oooohhh! I am indeed excited to get the package 🙂 Don’t worry about sending anything more for a long time! I may not even need another package… I know it’s expensive! Sorry bout dat!
You went to a Christmas Devotional?? That sounds wonderful. I am exceedingly glad you all enjoyed it. And Sister Missionaries are the BEST! Oh so I am writing so early today because we are going to the monkey paradise place where we can go and feed monkeys! I am excited. I will let you know how it goes.
Anyway Momma sounds like you are doing great and having lots going on as usual 🙂
I will let you know about the call/ skype when I find out. I will find out soon ok?? I AM SUPER EXCITED! Yet kinda nervous… I don’t want to feel sad! But I think I should be fine. I haven’t seen any of your cute faces in a long time!
Ok so as for this week:
We met some really nice people this week. One of which is my miracle story from the week!
Miracle Story: SO…… Earlier this week or maybe it was last week…. ANYWAY sometime, we were out finding/contacting/tracting. And it was starting to get dark so we were going to start heading back to the cyar(car). So as we are walking to the cyar we pass this man who is outside his apartment. They said good evening all polite like people do here. I didn’t think much of it, we said good evening and passed. But I felt prompted to turn back around and go back and contact him. I was like ok lets get one more Sister H. So we went over there and this man was great! AND HE IS MARRIED. With a great wife. I am sitting there thinking “this never happens!” Haha so. we taught him a little about our message and set up a return appointment. So we went back there just this past Saturday and D… (the man we met) was not there. But his wife was. So we started teaching her and explaining the gospel and Restoration to her. SHE LOVED IT. She soaked it all in and understood it completely (which is also rare) It was wonderful so she said she’ll read the booklet we left with her and the Book of Mormon as well. She is so great and we taught her about the priesthood authority and how her husband could hold it. She said she wanted to tell her husband because he is the head of the household about the things we had shared and that they would pray about it together 🙂 Anyway miracles all over the place.
We also were shadowed this week by one of the ZL’s (Zone Leaders) and our DL(District Leader)! It went well. We went to go see M. and figure out how we can best help her. It helped a lot.
Awwwwwww…. The people here. They are angels. I love them so much. I really hope I do not have to leave this area soon but it is very likely since I have been here FOREVER!
Something crazy that happened this week is we took one of the members to go see a Less active (they are good friends) And they got in a huge fight and started yelling at each other. It was really sad.
This week we are going to go start teaching one of the members grand sons! He is so cute! I literally have no idea how to teach the gospel to a little kid. So i guess we will see how it goes! We’ll have to think of some fun ways to teach him 🙂 I am sure it will be fine!
Anyway those are some points from this week!
I can’t remember if I told you already but M. and SIs. C. are teaching me a little bit of French so when she comes out teaching with us in the car I have her teach me how to say things in french! It is a lot of fun!
Oh yeah and I am sorry that you are all suffering in the snow… I am nice and warm here 😉 Hahaha!
Anyway I love you mommy! Thanks for the package that I haven’t gotten yet but you are the best!!!!!!!!! Thanks for all you do. I will let you know about talking to you on Christmas ok??
Daddy: Haha pops I can just picture you now going to town with that huge snow blower! You are so funny! But I am glad you enjoy it so much and are able to help out all the nieghbs. I am glad to hear you are doing well 🙂 I luff you! Have a great week.
P.S. Sorry fam I wish I could tell you everything and say clever things and make my emails more interesting but there is just not enough time!
I love you all and thank you so much for the support you give me. I am blessed. So blessed it’s prolly not fair. I wish I could give my blessings out to other people who need them more than me.
Have a great week. I love each and every one of you very very very very much.
Love always, Sister Em dog Billionaire 🙂
God bless you all!